Kramnik Takes FIDE to Swiss Civil Court — Bypassing Sport's Usual Arbitration System

The timing and context of the legal action make the thrust clear: this appears to be a counter-strike against FIDE's ethics case against him and what he has repeatedly called a "campaign" and "harassment" by the federation's leadership. Kramnik has previously accused FIDE of defamation and making "illegal and immoral statements" following the federation's decision to refer his public comments about online cheating to its Ethics & Disciplinary Commission. He is seeking financial compensation — the amount to be specified when the main claim is filed.

The choice of forum is itself a statement. By going to Swiss civil court rather than CAS, Kramnik is treating this not as a sporting dispute but as a matter requiring the full weight of Swiss law — with potentially far broader remedies, including substantial financial damages and evidence preservation orders that a sports tribunal cannot compel.

A formal request for evidence preservation was personally delivered to FIDE headquarters today, Kramnik confirmed. Under Swiss civil procedure, this puts FIDE on legal notice: all documents, correspondence, electronic records, and any materials potentially relevant to the case must be preserved and cannot be altered, deleted, or destroyed.

This is not how FIDE is used to being challenged.

The Mechanics

The 14th World Champion's statement, shared with World Chess, confirms that proceedings have been initiated under Swiss law in the Court of Lausanne — FIDE's home jurisdiction. A mandatory preliminary phase lasting 2-3 months will establish whether the case proceeds to full trial. The specific legal provisions and quantum of damages will be finalized by Kramnik's legal team before the main claim is filed.

Kramnik has long threatened legal action against FIDE, telling Match TV in October that the federation's response to his cheating allegations was "unacceptable from both a moral and legal standpoint" and that he would "go to court to defend my name." Today's announcement transforms that rhetoric into reality.

The Road to Lausanne

The confrontation has been building for two years. Kramnik's public campaign questioning the integrity of online chess results divided the chess world and ultimately led FIDE to take formal action against him.

In 2025, Daniel Naroditsky, the 29-year-old American grandmaster beloved for his educational content and streaming, died unexpectedly. In his final livestream, he had spoken about the psychological toll of cheating accusations as well as other difficulties connected to work in chess. The chess community erupted. Magnus Carlsen called Kramnik's conduct "horrible." A petition demanding sanctions gathered over 52,000 signatures.

In November, FIDE filed a formal ethics complaint against Kramnik, citing a two-year "pattern of conduct" involving alleged harassment and damage to players' dignity. The submission included testimony from Navara, who publicly described experiencing suicidal thoughts after being named by Kramnik, and from individuals close to Naroditsky.

What This Means

Today's filing flips the script. Rather than simply defending himself before FIDE's Ethics Commission, Kramnik is now the plaintiff — and he's chosen a battlefield where FIDE's internal procedures and sporting authority carry no special weight.

Swiss civil courts can compel discovery, impose significant financial damages, and issue binding judgments enforceable across jurisdictions. For an organization accustomed to settling disputes within its own governance structures or at CAS, this represents unfamiliar and potentially expensive territory.

The irony is hard to miss: Kramnik, who in 2006 was himself the target of unsubstantiated cheating allegations during "Toiletgate" — later dismissed, with his accuser sanctioned by FIDE's Ethics Commission — now faces accusations that his own allegations against others crossed ethical and legal lines. Whether Swiss courts agree that FIDE's response to his campaign constitutes actionable harm will be the central question of this case.

Kramnik has indicated he will provide further details as proceedings advance. The chess world — and FIDE's legal team in Lausanne — will be watching.

Updated: Read Kramnik’s original statement.

Vladimir Kramnik dethroned Garry Kasparov in 2000 to become the 14th World Chess Champion and unified the split title in 2006 by defeating Veselin Topalov. He retired from professional chess in 2019.